I spent the morning taking apart a day bed, loading it into a truck and running another couple of pieces of furniture from my old house to the new one in Peninsula. It was time consuming and I found myself constantly watching the clock to see where – or if – I was going to get in some kind of exercise. Finally, at day’s end and with a little more than 90 minutes of daylight, I was suited up and ready to ride the bike. Miggie noticed and remembered that I’d given her a hard time about not taking advantage of the park around us, and started changing to ride, as well. She could see I was in serious biking clothes and offered to just ready at her pace – alone.
“No way. I can always ride hard some other time. I’d rather go with you and explore some parts of the park you haven’t seen yet,” I said. I wanted to motivate her.
We headed out to Hale Farm and Village, just a little over a mile from our place, but on the other side of a pretty steep hill. She struggled to the top, having to walk part, and wondered aloud if she’d be able to return. I knew she wouldn’t and so took a roundabout way back to the towpath where we could ride on level ground. By the time we reached the house, she had it in her brain to ride the towpath to Peninsula where we could grab a bite at Fisher’s Tavern before riding home again.
“I’ll need to change in civilian clothes and pack some walking shoes. I think we’ll need a head lamp for the return ride, as well,” I said.
“I’ve got a light on my bike,” she pointed out.
I looked at that light – something from a couple of decades ago – and decided the head lamp should come along. We made the trek in about 25 minutes, had dinner, and came out to the bikes around eight. It was on the verge of darkness and I encouraged her to hurry. She did her best, but lost her chain trying to find the right gear in the dark to climb the hill coming out of Peninsula. I can get chains on with my eyes closed, which is pretty much about the light I had to work with.
We were rolling for about two miles when I noticed I was riding low. It would be my second flat in as many days. “What are we going to do now?” she asked.
“Walk.”
I offered her my head lamp and told her she could ride home and I’d walk it in alone. It was about a 45-minute walk at that point.
“I’m not walking in the dark alone!” she said, visions of bears, wolves and cougars playing through her brain.
“It’s safe, but I’d love your company,” I said and began pushing my bike down the path. She struggled along pushing hers in the dark and after a mile, I took both bikes and walked in-between them pushing them along. We made it back home in a little under an hour with a most unusual workout, but a workout none the less. ‘Do something every day’ is my mantra – and then write about it. So far – so good.
Walk/ride: 2 hours
Training Heart Rate: 70-90 bpm.
Calories burned: 1,000
Bonus: 15,000 steps.
No comments:
Post a Comment